Winning on home soil is a special feeling. But when it comes to rivalries, the European Rugby Champions Cup and Challenge Cup prove that there’s nothing sweeter than beating your neighbors. Think of the historic rivalry between English and French sides and the euphoria in Wales when a Welsh team beats an English team. What happens when an Irish star playing for a French side has an away game in Dublin, Limerick, or Belfast? Rivalries usually reserved for the Six Nations tournament retake center stage with rival European clubs battling it out. That said, the 2022/23 season will introduce South African teams Bulls, Stormers, and Sharks to the Champions Cup, with the Lions and Cheetahs added to the Challenge Cup.
Final fixtures are here, so buckle up and catch all the action for free with a VPN.
European Rugby Champions Cup Final
Leinster and La Rochelle will contest the 2023 Champions Cup final at Aviva Stadium on Saturday, May 20, 2023. It’s a rerun of last season’s final which La Rochelle won 24-21 to bag the trophy for the first time. The holders will be playing in their fourth EPCR final in five years, having also played in the Challenge Cup decider in 2019. Leinster, meanwhile, will be appearing in a seventh Champions Cup final and hoping to equal Toulouse’s record of five titles.
| Match | Date and time | Venue | Where to watch |
| Leinster Rugby vs. Stade Rochelais | May 20, 4.45 p.m. local time / 11.45 a.m. EDT | Aviva Stadium, Dublin | ITVX, RTE, France TV, BT Sport |
European Rugby Challenge Cup Final
Glasgow Warriors will play in their first-ever European final after beating Scarlets 35-17 at Parc y Scarlets. Centre Stafford McDowall scored two of Glasgow’s five tries as they rallied after trailing 14-7 at half-time. Awaiting them in Dublin will be Toulon, four times beaten finalists but never the winners. They overcame Benetton 23-0 in their semi-final despite having Charles Ollivon sent off after just six minutes for a dangerous tackle on Matteo Minozzi. The final takes place at Aviva Stadium on Friday, May 19, 2023.
| Match | Date and time | Venue | Where to watch |
| Glasgow Warriors vs. RC Toulon | May 19, 8 p.m. local time / 3 p.m. EDT | Aviva Stadium, Dublin | France TV, BT Sport |
How to watch EPCR Champions Cup and Challenge Cup 2023 with a VPN
You can securely live stream 2022–23 European Rugby Champions Cup and Challenge Cup games with a VPN in just a few simple steps:
- Get ExpressVPN.
- Connect to a server location that matches the broadcaster you want to watch. For example, if you’d like to see the UK broadcast, connect to a server in London.
- Check the schedule of the broadcaster you want to watch, like BT Sport.
- Tune in and enjoy the games!
Watching on a computer? For the best streaming experience, be sure to use the ExpressVPN browser extension for Chrome, Firefox, or Edge.
Watch free European Rugby Champions Cup and Challenge Cup live streams
ITVX
Price: Free
ITV is showing one Champions Cup match per round in the UK and Ireland—including the big final—for free until the end of the 2023/24 season.
Want to watch rugby on the big screen? Check out this handy guide.
RTÉ Player
Price: Free
Viewers in Ireland can use RTÉ Player to tune into one Champions Cup match per round in the UK and Ireland—including the big final—for free until the end of the 2023/24 season.
S4C
Price: Free
Welsh free-to-air S4C Clic has free live streams of all Ospreys’ pool games in the Champions Cup, as well as one match featuring either Cardiff Rugby, Dragons RFC, or the Scarlets in each pool stage of the Challenge Cup until the end of the 2023–24 season.
France TV
Price: Free
France TV broadcasts are free, however, note that the stream is in French, and only select matches will be streamed live. Check the official schedule for more information.
Where to watch the European Rugby Champions Cup and Challenge Cup
BT Sport
Price: 25 GBP/month
BT Sport has exclusive rights to both the European Rugby Champions Cup and Challenge Cup in the UK and Ireland and will show all 48 live games from the pool stage of the 2022/23 Champions Cup. With the monthly pass, you can live stream all the action without a contract or TV box.
Watch European Rugby Champions Cup highlights on YouTube
Check out the latest highlights, news, interviews, practices, and previews on the official Heineken Champions Cup YouTube channel.
European Champions Cup 2022–23 schedule
| Date | Event |
| December 9–11, 2022 | Round 1 |
| December 16–18, 2022 | Round 2 |
| January 13–15, 2023 | Round 3 |
| January 20–22, 2023 | Round 4 |
| April 1–2, 2023 | Round of 16 |
| April 7–9, 2023 | Quarterfinals |
| April 28–30, 2023 | Semifinals |
| May 20, 2023 | Final |
How many teams enter the Challenge Cup?
A total of 18 teams enter the EPCR Challenge Cup, qualifying from Premiership Rugby, the Top 14, and the United Rugby Championship as a result of their domestic league performance (the top teams from those competitions qualify for the Champions Cup). One additional side qualifies through invitation, making 18 teams.
Pool A
| Team | Country |
| Toulon | France |
| Glasgow Warriors | Scotland |
| Cardiff | Wales |
| Bristol Bears | England |
| Connacht | Ireland |
| Brive | France |
| Newcastle Falcons | England |
| Bath | England |
| Perpignan | France |
| Zebre Parma | Italy |
Pool B
| Team | Country |
| Scarlets | Wales |
| Benetton | Italy |
| Lions | South Africa |
| Stade Français | France |
| Dragons | Wales |
| Cheetahs | South Africa |
| Pau | France |
| Bayonne | France |
EPCR European Challenge Cup 2022–23 schedule
| Date | Event |
| December 9–11, 2022 | Round 1 |
| December 16–18, 2022 | Round 2 |
| January 13–15, 2023 | Round 3 |
| January 20–22, 2023 | Round 4 |
| April 1–2, 2023 | Round of 16 |
| April 7–9, 2023 | Quarterfinals |
| April 29–30, 2023 | Semifinals |
| May 19, 2023 | Final |
What is the EPCR Challenge Cup format?
After the pool stage, 16 teams progress to the knockout stages, starting with a single-leg round of 16 matches, then the quarterfinals, semifinals, and final.
What is the difference between the Champions Cup and the Challenge Cup?
The Champions Cup is the highest tier of European club rugby, while the Challenge Cup is the second tier.
Who are the favorites for the 2022–23 European Cups?
La Rochelle won its first Champions Cup, though Ireland’s Leinster and French side Toulouse are many of the bookies’ favorites. Toulon is among the favorites for the Challenge Cup title, boosted by Fijian wing Waisea Nayacalevu and former La Rochelle fly-half Ihaia West.
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FAQ: About European Rugby Champions Cup and Challenge Cup
Where is the European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) based?
The European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) organization was established in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, in 2014. It is now headquartered in the Swiss city of Lausanne.
What is EPCR rugby?
European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) is the organizer of European rugby competitions like the annual Champions Cup and the Challenge Cup (Europe’s top and second tier tournaments, respectively).
Is rugby big in Europe?
Rugby is especially popular in the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, and Wales) and Ireland, as well parts of Europe such as France and Italy. The sport is increasingly growing in popularity in European countries such as Georgia and Romania, while Spain, Portugal, Germany, and the Netherlands have also all seen rises in the number of clubs and competitions.
Who is the European Rugby Player of the Year?
In 2022, Leinster wing forward Josh van der Flier was named European Rugby Player of the Year. Here are the 2023 EPCR Player of the Year Nominees:
Grégory Alldritt (Stade Rochelais)
Gavin Coombes (Munster Rugby)
Caelan Doris (Leinster Rugby)
Elliot Daly (Saracens)
Antoine Dupont (Stade Toulousain)
Eben Etzebeth (Cell C Sharks)
Jaden Hendrikse (Cell C Sharks)
Siya Kolisi (Cell C Sharks)
Makazole Mapimpi (Cell C Sharks)
Julien Marchand (Stade Toulousain)
Emmanuel Meafou (Stade Toulousain)
Jamie Osborne (Leinster Rugby)
Garry Ringrose (Leinster Rugby)
Justin Tipuric (Ospreys)
Josh Van Der Flier (Leinster Rugby)
